Feeding guides · Switching food
Most tummy trouble after a food change isn't the new food. It's the speed. Give your dog's gut a week to catch up and most switches go without a hitch.
Mix the new food into the old, a bit more each few days. Keep the bowl the same size: you're swapping some of the old food for new, not adding to it.
| Days | New food | Old food |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | A quarter | Three-quarters |
| 4 to 6 | Half | Half |
| 7 | All in | None |
From day 7, feed the daily amount for the new food, not the old one. Recipes differ in calories, so the grams usually change too. Weigh a scoop once and you'll know what it holds.
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The schedule, what to expect each day and when to ring the vet, on one page. We'll email it over, then check in on day 3 to see how it's going.
A little change in the first few days is normal. Slow down if you see:
Go back to the last mix that suited them and stay there for two or three days, then carry on. Ten to fourteen days is perfectly fine for a sensitive dog.
Stop the new food and call your vet if your dog:
Ring sooner for puppies, older dogs and small breeds, as they dehydrate faster. If you're not sure, ring anyway. We're a food company, not a vet.
Put the bowl down for 15 to 20 minutes, then lift it until the next meal. Leaving food out all day teaches grazing. Cut back on treats during the switch so they come to the bowl hungry. A splash of warm water over kibble brings the smell out. Try not to keep changing foods: every swap starts the clock again. If they still won't touch it, tell us within 14 days and we'll swap the recipe free and take the old bag away.
Most dogs switch to raw in one go: a light first day, then their full portion. Don't mix raw and kibble in the same bowl. Puppies, older dogs or dogs with a health condition: ask your vet first. Handle raw like raw meat in your own kitchen: defrost in the fridge, wash bowls and hands afterwards, and keep it away from anyone in the house who is very young, elderly, pregnant or unwell.
You can, but it's the commonest reason a tum goes wrong. A dog's gut gets used to one food, and a sudden change often means loose poo or a skipped meal. A week of mixing avoids most of that.
Seven days for most dogs: a quarter new for three days, half and half for three, then all new on day seven. Sensitive dogs can take ten to fourteen days, and that's fine.
Go back to the last mix that suited them and hold there for two or three days before moving on. If it lasts more than a day or two, there's blood, or your dog is being sick or seems flat, stop the new food and ring your vet.
Puppies have more delicate tums and dehydrate faster, so go slowly and ask your vet before changing food, especially in the first few weeks at home. The same goes for older dogs and any dog with a health condition.
Two minutes, no card. Tell us about your dog and we'll work out the recipe and the grams a day, with the price before you give us anything.
More reading: breed feeding guides · our four recipes · help and FAQ.